Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي الْمُعَلَّى عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَطَبَ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَجُلًا خَيَّرَهُ رَبُّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَيْنَ أَنْ يَعِيشَ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَعِيشَ فِيهَا وَيَأْكُلَ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ فِيهَا وَبَيْنَ لِقَاءِ رَبِّهِ فَاخْتَارَ لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ قَالَ فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَلَا تَعْجَبُونَ مِنْ هَذَا الشَّيْخِ أَنْ ذَكَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا خَيَّرَهُ رَبُّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَيْنَ لِقَاءِ رَبِّهِ وَبَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا فَاخْتَارَ لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَعْلَمَهُمْ بِمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَلْ نَفْدِيكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِنَا وَأَبْنَائِنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا مِنْ النَّاسِ أَحَدٌ أَمَنُّ عَلَيْنَا فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَذَاتِ يَدِهِ مِنْ ابْنِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ وَلَكِنْ وُدٌّ وَإِخَاءُ إِيمَانٍ وَلَكِنْ وُدٌّ وَإِخَاءُ إِيمَانٍ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
English Translation
Abu al-Walid narrated to us, saying: Abu 'Awanah narrated to us, from Abd al-Malik — namely Ibn Umayr — from Ibn Abi al-Mu'alla, from his father, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, delivered a sermon one day and said: 'A man was given the choice by his Lord, Mighty and Sublime, between living in this world as long as he wished and eating in this world whatever he wished, and meeting his Lord — and he chose to meet his Lord.' He said: So Abu Bakr wept, and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'Do you not wonder at this old man — that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned a righteous man whom his Lord, Mighty and Sublime, gave the choice between meeting his Lord and this world, and he chose to meet his Lord' — while Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable of them about what the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said. Abu Bakr said: 'Rather, we would ransom you, O Messenger of Allah, with our wealth and our children.' The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'There is no one among the people who has been more generous to us with his companionship and his wealth than the son of Abu Quhafah; and if I were to take a close friend, I would have taken the son of Abu Quhafah as a close friend, but rather it is affection and brotherhood of faith — but rather it is affection and brotherhood of faith' — twice — 'and indeed your companion is the close friend of Allah, Mighty and Sublime.'